G8 Dementia Summit. Joint Opening Plenary

Transcription

1 G8 Dementia Summit Joint Opening Plenary London, 11 December 2013 Speech by Yves Leterme Deputy Secretary-General, OECD 0

2 Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt, Director General of the World Health Organisation Dr Margaret Chan, Ministers, distinguished guests, I am greatly honoured to be here today to attend the first ever G8 Summit on Dementia. There are few diseases more threatening than a diagnosis of dementia. The brain damage caused by dementia, the deterioration of an individual s functional and cognitive capabilities, and the consequences this has for individuals, their families and society more generally, are dramatic. Today, across OECD countries, about 5.5 % of people aged over 60 live with dementia. Nearly one person out of every two aged 90 years or more has dementia. Worldwide estimates suggest that as many as 36 million people live with dementia, with just over 40 per cent of them in high-income countries. These numbers are set to triple to 115 million by According to Alzheimer Disease International, every four seconds someone somewhere develops dementia. These are alarming figures. Today, there is no treatment that can halt dementia; no pharmaceutical or other intervention that can alleviate the symptoms of dementia, slow the progression or cure the disease. 1

3 OECD countries are making significant progress in reducing mortality and disability from big killers such as heart disease and cancer. But when it comes to dementia, we still have too little to celebrate. Why has it been so much more difficult to make progress in delivering breakthrough scientific innovations for dementia than in other fields? Why have new treatments been developed for other diseases and not dementia? My first message to you today is that the innovation model in health needs to be modernised. We too often fail to harness potential game changers and risk rewarding treatments with little tangible health benefit. There are three policy measures we can take to address this problem. One reason for this sorry state of affairs is that we still have too limited a knowledge of the causes and mechanisms by which neurons die in neurodegenerative diseases. The basic science of dementia is still under-developed. This can and should be addressed through better mobilisation of research and technology to understanding the molecular basis of this disease. We must seize the tremendous opportunities from advances in biotechnology, genomics, and nanotechnologies to accelerate the development of breakthrough diagnostics and drugs. 2

4 The second thing we must do is to ensure that we are offering rewards commensurate to the health challenge they address. Offering hope to the millions of people affected by dementia, and the many millions more who have family members suffering from the disease, is worth a clear signal to the pharmaceutical industry that we want them to continue efforts in this direction. We know that there have been setbacks which have dampened the enthusiasm of some companies. Governments must be open to dialogue with researchers about how to keep up the momentum for progress. The third necessary change to get our innovation strategy right is that our governance and regulatory science systems must be modernised. We must create the conditions to transfer biomedical innovation to the point of care, while preserving high ethical and social standards and balancing the benefits of rapid access to innovative therapies against their risks. Multi-sectoral, private and public sector cooperation can be the lynchpin in the development and deployment of technological innovations. My second message is that we should look at the potential of big and broad data for harness innovations in dementia. 3

5 The rapid growth in behavioural, genetic, clinical and administrative data, and the development of large databases are a powerful collective resource for research and evaluation in dementia care. However, efforts to take full advantage of this resource have been dampened by data security concerns, limited analytical capacity, and inadequate governance structures. We must take advantage of the informatics revolution. We must create environments in which knowledge can flourish, and we must have robust governance frameworks that allow data to be shared globally. The G8 Science Ministers have emphasised the need for data be open, while at the same time respecting privacy, safety, security and commercial interests. Getting this balance right is perhaps more important for getting improvements in dementia care than it is in any other area of health policy. My third and last message is that our health and social care systems must do better in delivering care for people with dementia. There is growing evidence that prevention policies addressing risk factors for several chronic conditions are also good for dementia. However, health systems across the OECD spend less than 3% on prevention, and there is evidence of gaps in dementia services, too. Up to half of those living with dementia are not properly diagnosed. 4

6 Too often, people living with dementia end up isolated, or in institutions. A patient with dementia who is hospitalised will remain there for an average of 45 days across OECD countries far too long, given that hospitals do not offer the highest quality of life to people with dementia, and costly hospitalisations divert important resources away from more home-based, human solutions. A different approach is needed, one which offers an integrated approach to the provision of services to people with dementia, spanning social and health care services. Family carers must not be forgotten, too. Over 15% of people aged 50 years and over provide care for a dependent relative or friend, including those with dementia. Yet intensive caring comes with a 20% higher prevalence of mental health problems (such as depression), and have a higher risk for carers of dropping out of the labour market or falling into poverty. Supporting carers effectively is not just beneficial for them and for the person with dementia; it will also help public systems remain fiscally sustainable. To conclude. Dementia is a global challenge and it requires global solutions. International collaboration is critical to encourage multidisciplinary, cross-border research and enhance knowledge transfer of effective solutions on a global scale. Our priorities should include a critical re- 5

7 evaluation of our health and innovation systems, and co-ordinated strategies to address the need for greater international collaboration and multi-sectoral partnerships. I am sure that other key elements for a global agenda will emerge today, and in the legacy workshops following this G8 Summit. The OECD will continue to provide a platform for much-needed global reflection and co-ordination on these very important issues. We are already engaged in several initiatives under the Big Data and Open Science Agenda, the governance of biomedicine and health innovation for dementia, as well as in our work on health systems responses to ageing societies. The combination of our global reach, and ability to bring multiple perspectives, other partner international organisations, business and civil society, to the same table with governments, gives us all an excellent platform for doing the work that needs to be done. We look forward to working with international leaders, the research community and business, so that together we can ensure that in the future, dementia is no longer a disease to fear. Thank you. 6